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Decree of university creation

The Syrian Virtual University (SVU) is an accredited state university established by Legislative Decree No. (25) in the year 2002. SVU aims to be one of the leading world universities in the region. SVU also aims at developing human resources consonant with international academic and professional criteria. SVU's objective is to meet the market needs nationally and regionally. SVU is working to provide a modern learning, training and research system in the academic and vocational ﬁelds to enable the learner and the trainee to engage effectively and directly in the labor market by developing their skills and regional needs in science and technology. SVU seeks to enrich knowledge utilizing e-learning technologies and investing in academic and professional lifelong learning. SVU is committed to establish long-term relationships with its graduates. Quality assurance is a target.

Legislative Decree No /25/

Syrian Arab Republic

Legislative Decree No /25/

Syrian President

based on the provisions of the constitution issues the following:

Article 1- The following terms shall be used wherever they appear in the Legislative Decree in the meaning written next to each of them as follows:

The Minister: The Minister of higher Education

The University: Syrian Virtual University

University President: the president of the Syrian Virtual University

Board of trustees: The board of trustees of the Syrian Virtual University

University Council: The council of the Syrian virtual University

Chairman of the board of trustees: The chairman of the board of trustees of the Syrian Virtual University

Executive regulations: the executive regulations for the Syrian Virtual University’s law

Financial system: The financial system of the Syrian Virtual University

Internal regulations: The internal regulations for the Syrian Virtual University

Internal System Apply: The rules of procedures in the Syrian Virtual University

Article 2-A scientific public body has been established in the Syrian Arab Republic in the name of “Syrian Virtual University”, which enjoys legal personality and financial and administrative independence. It is based in Damascus and is linked to the Minister.

Article 3- The University aims to:

1. Conduct distant e-teaching work, using the latest technical means, including the provision of virtual classrooms, electronic library and students’ electronic services. This is done on the basis of curricula with electronic content constantly updated and available for publication on the World Wide Web. These curricula lead to different university specialties that serve the economic and social development process and meet the needs of the national strategy for science and technology, human resources development strategy, networking strategy with branches of the national economy and services in the Syrian Arab Republic; in addition to meeting the scientific needs of Syrian and Arab expatriate communities and the countries of the region to modern scientific disciplines.

2. Diversification in the delivery of educational curricula by:

Developing special curricula of the university based on the design of new educational programs and the deepening of the Arabization of modern disciplines and the publication of electronic information through the World Wide Web, which leads to certificates granted and adopted by the University.

The development of multi-source curricula selected by the university from the globally leading and distinguished universities through strategic agreements made with them for scientific cooperation. This leads to certificates granted by the university and adopted by both the university and the concerned universities.

Providing various electronic courses in the levels of intermediate and technical education; and undergraduate and postgraduate studies selected from specific international universities. This leads to certificates granted by the universities concerned and approved by the University and universities referred to, through strategic agreements for scientific cooperation to be held for this purpose.

3. Provide academic services to university students to guide them, lead them and register them in the various specialties offered by the university.

4. Provide academic and technical support services to university students through a virtual network of selected Syrian and Arab scientists and professors who work in various Arab and foreign scientific institutions and universities.

5. Develop Arab electronic learning platforms that are continuously updated through strategic cooperation agreements between the university and a number of Arab universities and international universities.

6. Encourage Arabization, and research and development in Syrian, Arab and foreign universities.

8. Develop self and shared scientific research by taking advantage of the specificity of the structure of the University based on continuous cooperation and communication and direct interaction with scientists and specialists in the most important educational and research institutions.

9. Create a virtual scientific and technical oasis that will exchange and transfer knowledge and accelerate the process of building a knowledge economy and increasing its revenue.

10. Provide continuous learning process, and lifelong learning and intensive specialized training process, and facilitate delivering it to workers in their workplaces and residence without having to commute in line with the rapid changes in professions, sciences and market needs.

11. Cooperate with the Syrian Universities and Scientific and research institutions to achieve its objectives.

Article 4- The University has a number of colleges and institutes, which are specified in the internal regulations list and include a number of departments (directorates, departments, offices, and sections) to be specified in the bylaws of the University.

Article 5- The University administration includes:

Board of trustees

University Council

University President

Council of Scientific affairs

Council of students’ affair

Article 6- 1. The Board of Trustees consists of at least nine members of the leading scholars, specialized professors and distinguished personalities who are nominated by a decree upon the proposal of the Minister.

2. The Board of Trustees is to be chaired by a member of the board of trustees, to be named by a decree upon the proposal of the Minister.

3. The board meets at the invitation of its president on the dates specified by the executive regulation list.

Article 7- The Board of Trustees is to assume the following functions:

Develop the general strategy of the university and formulate its scientific policy.

To view and discuss the work and achievements related to the University and to evaluate and propose its development.

Proposal of the University Budget Project.

Approve the appointment of the Executive Director of the University, its Vice-Presidents, and the deans of the faculties, institutes and heads of departments.

Acceptance of donations, proposals, contributions and subsidies provided to the University in accordance with the laws and regulations in force.

Article 8- The University Council consists of the President of the University as its president and the membership of each of the following:

Executive Director of the University

The Vice-presidents of the University

Colleges Deans

The Deans of Institutes

A number of directors of the university directorates, representatives of the National Union of Syrian Students and the representative of the teachers' union who are determined by the Internal System Apply.

Article 9- The Board of Trustees is to assume the following functions:

Proposing the employment of faculty members, researchers, technicians and administrators.

Making Proposal to organize conferences, seminars and meetings related to distant e-learning.

Granting Degrees.

Developing scientific research plans at the university.

Making development programs that achieve the University's objectives

Proposing students' acceptance rules.

Proposing the establishment of colleges and institutes.

Proposing participating and sending people to conferences and seminars related to e-learning.

Proposal of the Executive regulation list, the internal regulation list, Financial Regulations and Internal System Apply.

Management and investment of university funds.

What the President of the University or Board of Trustees present to the University Council which is generally linked to all the administrative, executive and financial matters related to the University.

Article 10- The President of the University, a Ph.D. holder, is to be appointed for a three-year period, by decree, and he/she should be of the academicians who have at least a scientific qualification suitable for the position of Assistant Professor upon the proposal of the Minister and the decree determines his/her remuneration and compensation.

Article 11- A. The president of the University is assisted by the Executive director and two vice-presidents one for the scientific affairs and the other for students’ and administrative affairs; and a third or more vice-presidents can be appointed whose functions are determined by the Executive regulation list.

B. Both the executive director and the vice-president are appointed by decree for a period of two years upon the proposal of the Minister and the approval of the board of trustees. They should be Ph.D. holders and their remuneration and compensation are determined in the decree.

Article 12: The president assumes the following functions:

Implementation of the general policy approved by the Board of Trustees to achieve the functions of the University.

Implementing university plans and providing their requirements

The administration of the scientific, administrative and financial affairs of the university. The president supervises directly the progress of the work in the University, issues orders and instructions and represents the university before the judiciary through a mediator of whoever he appoints without prejudice to the provisions of the law on the administration of state affairs in this regard.

Aggregate expenditures and order them to be disbursed and liquidated according to the financial system.

Approve contracting with experts, specialists and consultants on the proposal of the University Council.

Issuing instruments relating to personnel affairs at the university.

Inviting the University Council to meet.

Article 13- The president of the University submits to the Board of Trustees at the end of each academic year a report about the affairs of learning, and scientific research, and other aspects of the activities of the University.

Article 14- The president of the University is a member of the Higher Education Council.

Article 15- The deans of the faculties, institutes and heads of departments shall be appointed by a decision of the Minister on the proposal of the President of the University and the approval of the Board of Trustees from among faculty members or full-time researchers or by contracting with academic personalities, provided that their qualifications are not less than the qualifications of the members of the faculty; their specialties and tasks are determined in the executive regulation list.

Article 16-A. The University appoints faculty members and researchers who have a doctorate degree in the specialties approved by the university. The appointment is made by a decision of the university president to be selected after the announcement without the requirement of a competition on the proposal of the university council and these receive the full time compensation granted to faculty members in the Syrian universities specified in Legislative Decree No /87 / for the year 1975 and its amendments.

B. The university appoints a number of technicians who have the required scientific qualification for the membership of the technical body in the universities of the Syrian Arab Republic in the specialties adopted by the university. They are appointed by a decision of the university president to be selected after the announcement without the requirement of a competition on the proposal of the university council and these receive the full time compensation granted to technical body members in the Syrian universities specified in Legislative Decree No /87 / for the year 1975 and its amendments.

C. Administrative staff is appointed by a decision from the President of the University.

Article 17- The University shall collect payments and academic fees from its affiliated members.

Article 18- The University shall have an independent budget to be issued by a decision of the Minister based on the proposal of the Board of Trustees in agreement with the Minister of Finance. This includes the full revenues and expenses of the University taking into account the balancing between revenues and expenditure and it constitutes an independent accounting unit and its revenues consist of:

Fees and tuition fees charged by the University from enrolling members.

Grants, subsidies, donations and recommendations accepted by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the laws and regulations in force.

The surplus of the budget of the previous fiscal year.

revenues from the activities of the University

Subsidy decided in the general budget of the State

Any other revenues permitted by applicable laws and regulations in force.

Article 19-A. The University can have contracts with Syrians, Arabs or foreigners to provide expertise, advice or academic support to the University who have the competence that qualifies them for this purpose.

B. The remuneration, compensation, rights and obligations of such contractors shall be determined in accordance with the rules set out in the Financial Regulations.

C. These contracts shall be ratified in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (E) of Article (149) of the Basic Law for Employees of the State No. (1) for the year 1985 and its amendments, unless the duration of the contract does not exceed six months in which case contracts shall be ratified by a decision of the Minister upon the proposal of the University Council.

Article 20- The University provides advanced virtual educational programs through scientific and academic cooperation agreements with distinguished Arab or foreign universities to serve the scientific strategy in Syria and its developmental plans. It also contributes to enhancing the competitiveness of the university. It also provides the basic needs of the university to run programs and curricula, or administrative and software development and supply of equipment in accordance with a special contract system issued by a decision of the Minister in agreement with the Minister of Finance without complying with the provisions of Legislative Decree No. (228) for the year 1969 and its amendments that include the system of contracts of bodies of the administrative nature.

Article 21- The University shall transfer the value of the benefits of the scientific and academic cooperation agreements and the basic needs specified in the previous Article, that were provided from abroad, in foreign currency.

Article 22- The Executive Regulation list shall be issued by decree upon the proposal of the University Council and the approval of the Board of Trustees, and it shall regulate in particular the following matters:

Formation of the Council of Scientific Affairs and its functions.

Formation of the Council of Student Affairs and its functions.

Granting degrees at different levels.

Foundations and rules for granting and blocking full-time compensation.

The terms of reference of the Executive Director, Vice-Presidents, Deans of Colleges, Institutes and Heads of Departments and their functions.

Conditions for promotion of faculty members, researchers and technicians

Article 23- The internal regulations is to be issued by a decision of the Minister upon the proposal of the University Council and the approval of the Board of Trustees and it shall regulate in particular the following matters:

Identify colleges, institutes, departments and training centers.

Conditions for acceptance of university affiliated members.

The general provisions of the examinations and their dates.

Teaching methods and means.

Duration and dates of study.

Study plans and postgraduates system.

Training systems and programs for continuous learning and lifelong learning.

Free and reduced grants and dues offered by the University to its affiliates.

Articles 24- The Financial Regulations shall be issued by a decision of the Minister upon the proposal of the University Council and the approval of the Board of Trustees in agreement with the Minister of Finance. These Regulations shall specify in particular the rules governing:

The amount of fees and premiums to be paid to the university from its affiliated members and their types.

The cost of consulting services provided by the University to others or provided by others to the University.

The amount of fees and premiums paid by the university to contracted universities and their types.

Compensation and bonuses to the Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees and employees of the University of all categories and contracted without complying with the maximum limits of compensation provided for in the laws and regulations in force.

Financing the operations of the development programs achieved for the objectives of the University.

Financing the expenses of scientific research.

Due amounts to be collected as a result of the University's other activities.

Article 25- The university shall be exempted from all taxes, financial fees, customs, municipal, or public costs of all kinds and from all import restrictions for all imports, grants, donations or loans - equipment, service vehicles, technical and laboratory equipment and scientific publications.

Article 26-The university appointee in the post of university president, executive director, vice president, college or institute dean, who is a state employee, shall retain his/her original job and legal promotion, and shall receive the remuneration and compensation specified in this Legislative Decree and the Financial Regulations.

Article 27- The University may fill certain functions proposed by the Board of Trustees by contracting.

Articles 28- The numerical staffing of the University shall be determined by decree.

Article 29- The provisions of the Basic Law for the employees of the State shall apply to full time employees of the University in all that is not mentioned in this Legislative Decree.

Article 30- Subject to the provisions of this Legislative Decree, the laws and regulations in force in public bodies of an administrative nature shall apply.

Article 31- This Legislative decree is to be published in the official newspaper.

Damascus 02/02/1423 Hijrah corresponding to 05/05/2002

President of Syrian Arab Republic

Bashar AlAsad

Legislative Decree No /40/

Syrian Arab Republic

Legislative Decree No /40/

Syrian President

Based on the provisions of the constitution

issues the following:

Article 1- Article /6/ of the Legislative Decree /25/ for the year 2002 is to be amended as follows:

A. the Board of Trustees shall be composed of at least nine members of scientific qualifications, specialized professors, and distinguished Syrian, Arabs and foreign characters in the different fields.

B. the Chairman of the Board of Trustees is to be named by decree upon a proposal of the Minister.

C. the rest members of the board of trustees are to be named by a decision of the Minister upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

D. the president of the university is to be a member of the board of trustees.

E. the Board shall meet at the invitation of its President on the dates specified by the Executive Regulations.

Article 2- The administrative staff of the first category in the university and its assignees and those assigned to work in this category shall be entitled to compensation for the performance of a specialized work not exceeding 150% of the lump sum paid to the worker at the date of performance of the work. The rules and bases of awarding such compensation shall be determined by a decision taken by the Board of Trustees. This compensation is deducted from the University's own resources.

Article 3- The word Executive Director is deleted wherever it appears in Legislative Decree No. 25 of the year 2002.

The President of the University shall be appointed for a period of three years, by a decree on the proposal of the Minister, who holds a Ph.D. degree and from the academicians who have at least the scientific qualification required to fill the position of Assistant Professor. The appointed University President or the Contractor shall be awarded the salary, compensations, promotions, and the bonuses according to the law of organizing universities No. 6 for 2006 and the scientific full decree No. 7 of 2006.

Article 5- Paragraph B of article 11 of the legislative decree No. 25 for the year 2002 is to be amended to read as follows:

The Vice-President of the University shall be appointed for a period of two years, by a decree on the proposal of the Minister, who holds a Ph.D. degree and shall be granted the salary, compensations, promotions and bonuses provided for in the Law of Organizing Universities No. 6 of 2006 and the scientific full time decree No. 7 of 2006.

Article 6- a new article is added No. 12 bis to Legislative Decree No. 25 of 2002, which reads as follows:

"The President of the University shall exercise the powers of the Minister of Higher Education provided for in the laws and regulations in force for the employees of the University"

Article 7- Article 16 of the legislative decree No. 25 of 2002 is to be amended to read as follows:

A. The university appoints faculty members and researchers who have a doctorate in the specialties approved by the university. The appointment is made by a decision made by the university president to choose after the announcement without the conditions of the competition upon the proposal of the university council. Faculty members receive the salaries, compensation, bonuses and promotions stipulated in the Law of Organizing Universities No. 6 of 2006 and the scientific full time law No. 7 of 2006.

B. The university appoints a number of technicians who have the required scientific qualification for the membership of the technical body in the universities of the Syrian Arab Republic in the terms of reference adopted by the university.

The appointment is made by a decision of the university president to choose after the announcement without the conditions of the competition and upon the proposal of the university council. Faculty members receive the salaries, compensation, bonuses and promotions stipulated in the Law of Organizing Universities No. 6 of 2006 and the scientific full time law No. 7 of 2006.

Article 8- Paragraph E of article /19/ of the Legislative decree No /25/ of the year 2002 is amended to read as follows:

These contracts shall be ratified in accordance with the provisions of paragraph / E/ of Article / 147 / of the Basic Law for Workers in the State No. 50 of the year 2004.

Article 9- Article /20/ of Legislative decree No /25/ for the year 2002 is amended to read as follows:

The University provides developed virtual and educational programs through scientific and academic cooperation agreements with distinguished Arab or foreign universities that serve the scientific strategy in Syria and its developmental plans. It also contributes to enhancing the competitiveness of the university. The university also provides its basic needs to run including curricula, and programmes and academic and marketing or administrative consultancy services; It develops software, and supply equipment according to a special contract system issued by a decision of the Minister in agreement with the Minister of Finance without complying with the provisions of the system of contracts issued by law / 51/ for the year 2004.

Article 10- This Legislative decree is to be announced in the official newspaper.

Damascus 3/7/1428 Hijrah corresponding to 18/07/2007

President of Syrian Arab Republic

Bashar Al-Asad

Mission & Vision

Vision:

The SVU seeks to be among universities that have a prominent ranking globally, and a pioneer in the field of E-learning in the region with the aim of qualifying human resources to meet international academic and professional standards and fulfill the needs of the national and regional labor markets in various fields. The SVU seeks also to attract the best educational and research experiences and make them part of a scientific network in which the learner and the graduate can interact.

Message:

Providing a modern system in learning, training and research in the academic and professional field which allows the learner and the trainee to engage effectively and directly in the labor market by developing their skills and knowledge in diverse modern fields that are compatible with the needs and the development of the local and regional economy, and the growing use of the international network in activities and business locally. Regionally and internationally.

Objectives:

The Syrian Virtual University aims to:

1-Meet the National and Arab needs for science and technology, and qualify human resources,

as well as develop the knowledge assets of our society.

2-Reinforce the Arabization movement with an intention to transfer knowledge to the Arab region and link it with the global scientific process in a methodological way.

3-Develop the technologies of E-learning, and consolidate it and investing in it in the academic, professional and lifelong learning.

4-Build long-term connections with its graduates and the institutions to which they belong.

5-motivate and develop the skills of educational and administrative staff; both full-time and part-time staff; who are considered the most important asset in improving the quality of all SVU processes.